It's been two weeks since my first day of sword practice. Natalie and I could handle our swords perfectly but we hadn't sparred with anyone yet to know our real ability. But I know I am good. I had also improved in spell casting, I had learnt how to control water, how to conjure up my sword anytime, anywhere. I could also clone things along other spells. I didn't actually like the fact that most of the spells needed Latin. I was already learning Spanish, Latin was an additional problem. My siblings had begun their break. Ours will be next week.
Today was Sunday. Shade, Caden, Natalie and I were in Angel Park for Ice-cream. Angel park was the Park where I usually do my Morning runs. It was called Angel park because of the Angel statue in the middle. The statue was in the middle of the park and was a great place for people to take pictures. The statue had been there since 1962, no one knows who built it there but it was known that at the foot of the angel was an inscription: Zara Wills. Might have been the name of the person that built it. People used the place as a Center of Attraction and soon it became a park. The statue was mounted on a pillar and it was painted white, huge wings spread out and two brought together at chest level. At the left hand side of the statue in the park, People sold food, drinks, smoothies and at the right hand side of the statue in the park was where people could sit, walk, run and chit-chat. It was one of the most popular park in New York.
Caden ordered a Reuben Sandwich and a Fruit Sandwich, Shade ordered two hot dogs, Natalie and I ordered burgers with French fries and strawberry. We sat at a table to eat.
"It's how better you guys are in sword fighting now." Shade said and took a bite of his hotdog.
"I know right. I can't believe it too." I replied after taking a bite of my burger.
"But I still believe I can beat you both at once if we were to spar together." Caden said with a teasing smile.
"We know."
"We're so scared. You're way more experienced." Natalie added sarcastically, rolling her eyes.
CC laughed. "I started training when I was seven and Shade, six."
"That long?" I asked surprised.
"Yeah."
"But I'm better." Shade said.
"Oh, please." CC said rolling her eyes.
I chuckled and ate my burger then glanced at Natalie who had been quiet. I noticed she was lost staring at something or someone. I snapped my hand in her face drawing back her attention making her jerk a little
"Natalie what's wrong?" I asked confused.
Natalie pointed at her right. "Look at that, that man over there few meters from the statue. He's looking for something with that metal detector."
I looked over, in the direction she pointed at sure enough there was a man there, wearing all black, his hair was ruffled and he was holding a metal detector looking around for something in the grass. It was like no one could see the man.
"Did you see?" Natalie asked. "It's as if no one in this park can see him."
"You're right." Shade said
"But what is he looking for and why?" CC asked.
"This means that ... if no one can see him except us ... he's a..." I trailed off.
Shade stood up immediately. He started walking towards the man.
"Shade be discreet." Caden yelled but people around us looked at her weirdly. That's when I realized that people couldn't see Shade too. We watched Shade approach the man and tap him on the shoulder. The man looked at him and just then we noticed him immediately bend and picked up something from the grass and started running. Shade ran after him.
"Let's follow him." CC said. The man had left the metal detector. We stood up immediately, running too but not before I grabbed my half-finished smoothie. No way was I gonna let a perfect smoothie go to waste.
We ran after Shade who was running after the man until Shade stopped in a dark alley way. He was bent, with his hands on his knees as he panted.
"I lost him. It's like he just disappeared as I turned around in this corner." Shade said.
"Who was he?" CC asked.
"I don't know." Shade replied. "But I was able to get this stuck out from his back pocket." He showed us a white paper that had only two words written on it LEGNA KRAP.
"What did he pick?" I asked
"I don't know. I didn't see it clearly but I think it was a key." He stood straight.
Suddenly something hit the brick wall above our heads. We turned behind to see an arrow that was stuck in the wall. The arrow was long and black in colour.
"Let's get out of here. " Natalie said.
"I agree." I replied.
"It's like someone's watching." Caden said.
"Let's go." Shade said and we turned around.
"I still don't understand something." Shade said after a while. We were walking on the side walk away from the creepy alley.
"What's that?" I asked.
"How was Natalie able to see him when other humans couldn't?"
It was true. How? Humans couldn't and weren't able to see creatures unless ...
"Huh?" Natalie said confused.
"I mean Emma can see them she's a guardian, my sister and I aren't actually humans, but I don't understand how you were able to see him." Shade explained.
"I think it's because she is with us." CC said.
"Yeah. I think." Natalie said.
"And I don't think so." Shade said.
"Look, we can think about that later. Right now, I just want to know the meaning of legna krap." I said
"The name really does sound like crap." I added and giggled at the same time.
Everyone then went back to discussion.
"She's right." CC said and looked at her watch.
"Alright." Shade agreed. "Maybe you're. It might have been because she was with us."
"Yeah. It's 2:30. We should be going to the temple." CC said.
"I guess, we don't really have anything doing." I said.
Natalie didn't say anything. I didn't blame her. "Natalie." I called her attention.
"Yeah. let's go." She said.
We then walked behind a Pastry shop and then I teleported us all to the Library.
Narrator's Pov
"Did he do it?"
"Yes my lord." Maron said. "We mentioned him from the start."
"That's good." Xavier said.
"But, those kids saw him." Levi spoke.
Maron glared at him. He shouldn't have said that.
"You mean the guardian and her little friends?"
"Yes."
"As long as they don't know what he was there for, fine." Lord Xavier said. "Or do they?"
"No they don't. He escaped." Maron replied quickly.
"Alright. Leave."
They both bowed and disappeared.
Emma Pov
"So where do we start? Caden asked immediately we appeared in the Library. She moved towards the desk and chair and placed the paper there.
"Legna Krap. What does it mean?" I said as if offering a solution.
"Hmmm ...," Shade said., "You girls' should go check the shelves that has legna or krap or both written on it."
The three of us left the room and went to the huge bookshelves. We began looking around but didn't find anything. We went to another aisle to search.
"There's nothing here." CC wailed, but I was only half-listening. I saw a book which caught my eyes.
"Caden, Natalie come look at this." I said. They came over to look at the book I wanted to show them.
"Backwards Cult." CC said collecting the book from my hands.
So you're saying ..." Natalie wanted to say something but I completed it.
"We rewrite the sentence backwards." I said.
"Come on. Let's go meet my brother." CC said.
We went back to the small room.
"Shade let's try rewriting the word backwards." I said.
"Why?" He asked.
"I found a book titled Backwards Cult and ..."
"You want to rewrite it?" He asked.
"Yeah. it's worth a shot." CC said.
"Already done." Natalie said and then showed us the paper and what she had written down.
"See ..." She pointed. "Legna Krap, backwards is Park Angel and when arranged, it's Angel Park."
"The paper gave the man directions." Caden said in realization.
"But why would he write it backwards?" I asked.
"Because he is a Backwards Cult Member." Shade who seemed lost said.
"Backwards Cult?" I asked looking at the book Caden held on her hand.
"Backwards Cult is one of the most evil society in the spirit realm. Their operations are done in secret, no one knows where they stay. Plus they speak and write backwards. To make it more confusing."
"But why was he sent here?" Natalie asked.
"I don't know but we need to tell Ixora."
"Tell me what?" We heard her voice from behind.
We all turned.
"You always make the best entrances." I said wryly. She was wearing a long cloak.
"What's wrong? What do you need to tell me?" She asked.
"We ran into a backwards cult member in the human realm." Shade said.
Ixora's face hardened immediately. "What was he doing there?"
"Well of course other humans couldn't see him but we did." CC said.
"And... Shade speak." She urged.
Shade nodded and began to speak. "He was with a metal detector searching for something in the grass. Natalie saw the man's weird movement and told us. I walked up to him but then the metal detector beeped showing something was there, He picked it up running leaving the machine there. I ran after him but I couldn't catch up with him. But I was able to get a note from behind his back pocket." He paused as Natalie handed the paper to Ixora. She read it silently.
"We brought it here to find out what Legna Krap means which brought about the conclusion after translating it." He finished.
Ixora kept quiet, she was processing what she just heard.
"You don't know what he was looking for?" She asked.
"I think he picked up a key of some sort."
"Alright." She said nodding. "I'll report your findings to the panel."
We all nodded.
"Did you say Natalie was the one who spotted the man?" She asked.
"Yes."
She faced Natalie. "How were you able to see him?"
"I don't know. I see the weirdest things." She replied nervously.
"It might have been because she was with us." Caden said.
"Have you been seeing everyone since you were little?"
"Yes, I see everybody. Isn't that what the eyes are meant for?"
"Hmm... Alright. It's time for training." She said and moved, we all followed her to GROUNDS. Natalie, Shade and Caden got their swords.
"When do I get to spar with someone?" I asked Ixora.
"Right now with me. Natalie, you and Caden."
"Wait what." Shade said.
"What?" I said.
"I'm particularly serious about this. What happened today says you should be ready for anything."
Everyone nodded.
"Let's begin then." Ixora said then removed her cloak and conjured her sword. We moved to the to the ring mapped out for training. Natalie and I were in line with Caden and Ixora opposite us.
"Let's begin." I said.
Narrator's Pov
The man Shade had chased had gone back to the spirit realm, back to his hiding place.
"Did uoy dinf ti?" An older man in position asked him.
"Sey." He replied with a bow.
"Doog. eht retsam lliw eb yrev desaelp."
The man bowed again. "Fi eht retsam si yppah, neht I ma yppah oot.'
Everyone in the room chanted. "Gnol evil eht retsam, gnol evil eht retsam..."
[Author's Note: Translate backwards]
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